"It's always good when you're training but when you get someone in front of you it's different, and for us it's a means," he said.

And the Waimumu game would be a chance to get some rhythm building into the opening Super Rugby game against the Chiefs next week.

"The boys are really keen. We've got the sun on our back like the rest of the country has and for us it's a chance to reconnect and we've had a great pre-season on and off the field," he said.

They would be down on the experience available with props Joe Moody and Tim Perry, and No.8 Kieran Read still recovering from injury but he was happy with the way players were shaping and especially Heiden Bedwell-Curtis who was covering for Read.

Robertson said it was only human nature that as defending champions they would be regarded as a key scalp for any opponents and they would be targeted.

Captain Sam Whitelock said one of the lessons of the 2017 season had been they needed to improve every week and when they did that their play got better as the season went on.